Bebop Spoken There

Donovan Haffner ('Best Newcomer' 2025 Parliamentary Jazz Awards): ''I got into jazz the first time I picked up a saxophone!" - Jazzwise Dec 25/Jan 26

The Things They Say!

This is a good opportunity to say thanks to BSH for their support of the jazz scene in the North East (and beyond) - it's no exaggeration to say that if it wasn't for them many, many fine musicians, bands and projects across a huge cross section of jazz wouldn't be getting reviewed at all, because we're in the "desolate"(!) North. (M & SSBB on F/book 23/12/24)

Postage

18146 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 24 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Jan. 7), 24

From This Moment On ...

JANUARY 2026

Thu 08: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: Jazz Milestones of 1976.

Fri 09: The House Trio @ Bishop Auckland Methodist Church. 1:00pm. £9.00.
Fri 09: Nauta @ Jesmond Library, Newcastle. 1:00pm. £5.00. Trio: Jacob Egglestone, Jamie Watkins, Bailey Rudd.
Fri 09: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 09: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 09: Warren James & the Lonesome Travellers @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm. £15.00.
Fri 09: The Blue Kings @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. £10.00. (£8.00. adv.). All-star band.

Sat 10: Mark Toomey Quintet @ St Peter’s Church, Stockton-on-Tees. 7:30pm. £12.00. (inc. pie & peas). Tickets from: 07749 255038.

Sun 11: New ’58 Jazz Collective @ Jackson’s Wharf, Hartlepool. 1:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Am Jam @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 11: Eva Fox & the Sound Hounds @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 12: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 12: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.

Tue 13: Milne Glendinning Band @ Newcastle House Hotel, Rothbury. 7:30pm. £11.00. Coquetdale Jazz.
Tue 13: Jazz Jam Sandwich @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Wed 14: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 14: Jam Session @ The Tannery, Hexham. 7:00pm. Free.
Wed 14: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Reviewers wanted

Whilst BSH attempts to cover as many gigs, festivals and albums as possible, to make the site even more comprehensive we need more 'boots on the ground' to cover the albums seeking review - a large percentage of which never get heard - report on gigs or just to air your views on anything jazz related. Interested? then please get in touch. Contact details are on the blog. Look forward to hearing from you. Lance

Saturday, December 25, 2021

Smalls NYC streaming louder and clearer, 24/7

As the festive season brings about a temporary reduction in the number of live jazz gigs the live stream once again comes into its own. Foremost in the online gig arena is Smalls* on West 10th Street, New York City. Spike Wilner's compact venue has been streaming gigs since 2007, way ahead of the Johnny Come Lately lockdown opposition. Smalls partner venue Mezzrow is also in on the streaming business. Throughout much of lockdown two factors conspired to deter the listener/viewer this side of the Atlantic logging on - the time difference and, 'til now, poor quality audio/visual presentation.       
    

Recently the AV quality has improved to such an extent there is the temptation to sit up late into the early hours to watch at least one of several sets from Smalls and/or Mezzrow. Alternatively, all streams are available to watch at a later, more convenient, time and date on Facebook or YouTube. The following is but a sample of what's on offer over next few days (NB: a set starting at 7:30 EST is half past midnight GMT). 

Dec 25: Javed Gold Trio Smalls (00:30 GMT Dec 26)
Dec 25: Kevin Hayes, Matt Brewer, Bill Stewart Mezzrow (00:30 GMT Dec 26)

Dec 27: Spike Wilner, Peter Washington, Joe Farnsworth Mezzrow (00:30 GMT Dec 28)
Dec 28: Judy Niemack Quartet ft. Peter Bernstein Mezzrow (00:30 GMT Dec 29)
Dec 29: Benny Benack III Quintet + jam session Smalls (03:00 GMT Dec 30)
Dec 31: Johnny O'Neal Mezzrow (02:00 GMT Jan 1)

In the first week of January there is more of the same top quality jazz including performances by Jon Beshay, Ari Hoenig, Falkner Evans and Harry Allen.  

For some reason Smalls goes without an apostrophe!
Russell

3 comments :

Patti said...

The joints will be jumping! Some great jazz sessions to look out for. Plus, didn't gals used to wear 'smalls', without an apostrophe?

Lance said...

Some gals, I'm told, didn't wear smalls with or without an apostrophe unless a thong is the contextual equivalent of an apostrophe.

Patti said...

Don't we all remember the euphemisms - for underwear, and much else!

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